


Reunion

by hakuchumu



Category: No. 6 (Anime & Manga), No. 6 - All Media Types, No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-22
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-27 08:40:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/976745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hakuchumu/pseuds/hakuchumu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Reunion will come," he promised.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chocolate

            Shion shut the kitchen lights out, clutching the cup of milk he had just warmed against his chest. He’d found himself stumbling out of bed and wandering into the kitchen in hopes of finding _something_ that might help settle his restless mind. He sighed, recalling the events of the negotiations that had taken place just a few hours previous. There was nothing simple involved in rebuilding the fallen city that had once been the white haired boy’s home. Shion soon realized that taking charge in this project was the biggest responsibility that had ever been laid upon his shoulders. Every word of every document, of every bill, of every law involved in the reconstruction of this new city was approved by Shion. Even if it meant countless hours of meetings, trying to agree on just the right wording, or the proper protocol, simply to make certain they would get _everything_ right this time. Shion’s burden to bear was not the rebuilding of the city itself, but the responsibility of ensuring the nightmare that was No. 6 would _never_ happen again. It was this fear that had a tendency to creep into his mind just as his head hits the pillow, keeping him awake for a majority of the night.

            He had been forced to stay late in such imperative meetings every day for the past week. Some nights were worse than others—some issues were more pressing than others. Tonight had been one of those nights, and after three hours in disagreement over the details of a new bill that had been introduced, Shion and his colleagues had still not reached a solution.

            _Thank goodness we decided to continue negotiations in the morning_ , Shion thought to himself. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could have lasted in that room with the headache he was developing now.

            Bringing the warmed cup of milk to his lips, Shion somehow found his way back up the stairs and shuffled into his room. As he slipped his night shoes off and slumped onto his bed, he couldn’t help but smile as the sweet taste of warm chocolate flavored milk slid down his throat. On the rare occasion that he found himself unable to drift asleep, Shion could always find comfort in his favorite warm drink—a favorite of his for many reasons. Of the countless times he had prepared the sweet treat, it was not until recently that he had begun to crave it in order to ease his overactive  brain. Running a warm hand through his hair, Shion inhaled the sweet scent lingering around the mug, and for a moment nearly thought he could smell the musty scent of West Block that he usually associated it with.  He was sure if he closed his eyes tight enough he could place his mind back into the crowded little place that he and Nezumi had stayed, just on the outskirts of the impoverished town.

            _Has it really been so long,_ Shion thought to himself, _yet I can still smell the stale stench of that place like it was yesterday?_

            Shion opened his eyes, reluctantly returning to the new reality he’d created for himself, and added another sigh. He never wanted to return to the days when No. 6 still ruthlessly governed its brainwashed subjects, not even for a second. He was much happier now, watching freedom and hope being rebuilt with the help of his guidance. However,  it was the little moments that he was able to reminisce upon—the little moments he shared, learning to survive, to think, to cherish, and to enjoy what he had—that Shion would not mind reliving just once more.

            He brought the mug to his lips once more before tilting his head back and allowing entrance to the sweet liquid. He let the taste linger in his mouth for a few moments, savoring the flavor before letting if all down the back of his throat again and setting the mug on his bedside table. It had felt awkward carrying the lone mug in his hands, feeling as though he had forgotten the other in the kitchen. Yet, he knew that was not the case. It was just himself now—he hand nobody else to prepare it for.

            During his stay in West Block, Shion was unable to partake in the little pleasures he was so used to whilst living within the walls of No. 6—or even in this new city. With the little money he made from working for Inukashi, and Nezumi’s unpredictable income as an actor of course, he found himself just barely able to afford the most basic necessities to survive inside of West Block. They always made due of course, but it was those rare occasions when Shion was able to do some extra chores for Inukashi, or Nezumi’s performances sold better than usual, that Shion loved the most.

            Nezumi was, to say the least, unpredictable. Despite all of the instances proving him to be so selfish, stubborn, and controlling, it was the rare occasion, such as the first time that Nezumi sauntered into their tiny little abode with a slight grin on his face, and a hand behind his back, that always seemed to restore Shion’s faith in the raven haired boy.

            “Welcome home,” Shion began as he mimicked the grin that adorned Nezumi’s lips. “What’s that you’ve got there?” Shion’s eyes wandered to the hand that had been indiscreetly hidden behind Nezumi’s back as he made his way into the kitchen.

            Nezumi propped himself up against the counter nonchalantly, “Wouldn’t _you_ like to know.”

            Shion raised a brow, trying to peer around Nezumi and take a peek. “Yes, I would. That’s why I asked.” Nezumi rolled his eyes. His choice of vocabulary was obviously far too figurative for Shion to fully understand tonight.

            With a flick of his wrist, Nezumi tossed the mystery object high into the air and allowed it to effortlessly float back into the opposite hand. “Your Majesty,” he held it out for Shion to see. “My manager coughed up a little more pay than usual, tonight.”

            Shion’s eyes widened at the object in Nezumi’s hand. It was a plain wrapped square object with a little wear around the edges. Three months ago Shion would have stared in confusion at the simple looking thing, but Shion resided in West Block now and knew exactly what the hand in front of him held.

            “Really, Nezumi?” Shion’s lips smiled as he took the brown wrapped square into his own hand. He could remember the first time Nezumi had pointed it out at the little shop, where they usually bought the most basic necessities. Nezumi had told him that Shion would have to save three nights worth of pay in order to purchase such an object that could be found in abundance at his own mother’s baker’s shop back inside the walls.

            Nezumi watched in amusement as the pale boy in front of him fumbled at the edges around the square, eventually unearthing the sweet treat that lay wrapped underneath. “I thought, perhaps, we could dine like royalty tonight.”

            Before turning to light a flame on the stove, Nezumi briefly let his eyes linger and observe the excitement that crossed Shion’s face. Nezumi began filling two old cups with water as his thoughts drifted to how curious it was to watch the seemingly emotionless Shion have his buttons pushed—though he would never admit it out loud. “Now don’t eat it all in one bite, Highness,” he commanded mockingly as he set the chipped mugs onto the flame to heat the water. “We’ll have something warm and sweet to wash our bread down with, if you’re patient enough.”

            Shion felt so delighted at Nezumi’s gesture. Ordinarily, Shion would have found himself nursing the hung-over rat back to health after a late night of drinking his extra coins away, but this had taken the younger boy slightly aback. “What made you want to spend your money on this, Nezumi? This much chocolate must’ve cost four times as much as the bread we buy. It must have been quite a bit extra that your manager gave you, then.”

            Still holding a mug over the open flame to heat the water inside, Nezumi outstretched his other hand, signaling for Shion to break a piece of the precious treat off and give it to him. He did just that, and watched as Nezumi plopped the piece into the mug. Shion found himself at Nezumi’s side, curiously peering over the stove and into the mug. “I was just in the mood for a sweet treat,” he reasoned simply as the two watched the chocolate slowly melt amongst the water.

            Shion’s gaze moved from the mug, up to focus on Nezumi, who was still grinning downward. “But...I didn’t think you liked sweets,” Shion said softly, watching the smile fall slowly from Nezumi’s lips.

            “I don’t mind this,” Nezumi replied abruptly, taking the mug away from the flame and shoving it in Shion’s direction. “Now do’ya want this or not?”

            Without any hesitation, Shion took the container from Nezumi’s cold hands and held it in his own, “Yessir!” he replied elatedly as he placed the mug to his lips.

            “Fine, then shut up and just enjoy it. Jeez.” Nezumi began preparing his own mug, breaking just enough of the chocolate off so there would be some left for another day, and watched as the chocolate began to melt amongst the water. Of course, this would have no comparison to the delicious treat fed to him on _that day._ That treat, which had been prepared in the luxury of Shion’s home in Chronos, with real milk, and chocolate, and proper mugs to drink from. This was hardly the luxury he’d experienced back then, but it would have to do for now.

            “Thanks a lot, Nezumi,” Shion smiled up at the rat innocently.

            “Yeah, yeah,” Nezumi brushed him off as he fingered the mug, mixing the chocolate and water together. How embarrassing would it be if Shion found out he’d saved parts of his last few earnings to buy this for the two of them to share. No, he would never admit that out loud either.

            The soft pitter-patter of rain droplets against the window is ultimately what pulled Shion away from the fond memory. He hadn’t been under the impression that it was supposed to rain that night, but didn’t think much of it other than that as the cadence of the raindrops increased against the windowpane. So, with yet another sigh escaping his lips, Shion reached to set the warm mug of milk on his bedside table, and turned the switch of his lamp to immerse his room in darkness.

            Wrapping a warm blanket around his body and shutting his eyes, Shion’s thoughts drifted back to his memory.

            He missed Nezumi. He couldn’t help but wonder how he was doing—if he was alright. Shion would be lying to himself if he said Nezumi wasn’t the first thing on his mind when he woke up and the last thing on his mind before he fell into slumber. That’s just the way his thoughts fell, and if he wasn’t thinking about the city’s project, he was thinking about Nezumi’s well being and wondering if he was even still alive, and what he might be doing, and where he might be going...

            There had no sign of him since he’d left six months ago. No messages, no letters, no mice, nothing. This left Shion a wreck with worry at times. That’s why he liked to keep his mind occupied with work, or his mother’s shop, or something. But at night, there’s nothing keeping him from worrying.

            He’d stopped leaving the windows open. He figured the likelihood of Nezumi stumbling through his window again was slim to none, so he’d given up once the nights started getting too cold.

            As he began to succumb to his slumber, the sound of the rain began growing louder. He squeezed his eyes shut and shifted his body to a more comfortable position. Amidst the loud hissing and pattering against his window, and the occasional crack of thunder, Shion could’ve sworn he’d heard a voice calling for him. This would not have been the first time he’d thought he’d heard Nezumi’s voice calling out for him in the night. It had become a regular occurrence that he’d learn to live with. And every time he’d go to peer out his window, _just in case_ he never found anybody uttering his name, let alone Nezumi.

            The only difference this time was that this sound seemed to grow louder, and more frantic as the storm pressed on. Dizzily, Shion sat up in an attempt to pinpoint this voice, eyes darting towards his window. As he did so, he found himself jumping out of his skin and breath catching in his throat. Lightning flew across the sky, illuminating the night enough for Shion to see a figure crouched outside his window, calling out his name with a desperate tone before collapsing to the floor of the balcony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Depending on how well received this is, I will post the second chapter soon.


	2. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I'm finally getting around to posting Chapter 2.

            Darkness resumed, and the sound of the rain against his window remained consistent. He tightened his fingers in the sheets that were wrapped around him, and his body began to grow cold.

            _Wh-what…_ he thought in panic. _What was that?_

            Shion’s fingers began to tremble and his throat felt dry. Was this all a dream? Did he honestly see _that_ figure outside of his window? _There was no way; it must have been a hallucination. I must have imagined it. After all, it was raining very hard, and the wind_ was _blowing quite strong. Perhaps it was merely a shadow._

            He tried to convince himself of this theory to no avail, and instead found his heartbeat growing louder. “But he knew my name…” Shion recalled hearing the faint voice shout his name in the wind, thinking that it was merely his imagination. Maybe…maybe this time it wasn’t.

            “So what do I do?” he whispered softly under his breath, already knowing the answer to his question.

            Hesitantly, he reached to his bedside table and turned his lamp on, allowing the light to illuminate his room again. Slowly shoving the covers away from his body, and placing both feet firmly onto the floor, Shion found his way out of bed and facing the window.

            The wind grew stronger, and the rain bounced off the window like bullets. And Shion saw him, the figure, crumpled in the corner of his balcony nearest to the large sliding glass window. The figure remained still, his entire body covered in a dark scarf that must have been sopping. Without warning, the figure’s fist reached up from underneath the scarf and pounded once upon the glass. Shion jumped, not from the noise, but from the movement. He couldn’t help but notice the way the figure’s hand gathered their fist in such a flimsy way, eventually letting his palm rest upon the window and slide back into his chest.

            Shion blinked a few times in an attempt to rid himself of his over stimulated thoughts and simply focus at the task at hand. He made his way around the bed and nearer to the window, the cold floor sending another chill up his spine. It took him a few attempts to unlatch the lock, nervously fumbling a few times before finally getting it to open.

            Resting his hands upon the frame and peering down at the figure, with only the glass between them, Shion was able to get a better look. The rain was beating hard, and the figure was softly shivering. Their pale hand stuck out from underneath the scarf, along with something Shion had not seen before. A part of the figure’s head was unmasked, their hair slick against the side of their face, but unmistakable. The dark raven color caused Shion’s stomach to flutter and his eyes to widen. “…Nezumi?” he was barely able to utter before he gripped the handle on the window and yanked it open without hesitation.  

            The wind and the rain attacked him, infesting into his room now that there was no barrier between them. His hair and nightclothes quickly grew wet before he bent down to investigate the crumpled body.

            Warm tears pricked at his eyes as he placed a hand upon the cold cloth covering the figure’s body. He brought another hand to their face, quivering as he brushed their hair from their eyes. Shion gasped, unveiling the figure’s face.

            “Nezumi!” he shouted, cupping his hand against the rat’s cold cheek. He did not move, but a slight groan was managed from his throat and his face contorted into a look of pain.

           Shion’s breath was growing more panicked as he began peeling the soaked scarf away from Nezumi’s body. He was wearing the same worn pants that always adorned his hips, paired with a white undershirt that was soaked through to his skin. “Nezumi!” he shouted again as he pulled the scarf away from his body and let it crumple behind him. “Nezumi, can you hear me?”  Amidst the darkness, Shion noticed something pooling beneath the rat, mixing with the rain water that attempted to wash it away.

            Red.

            His breath catching, Shion’s hands flew in search of the source, eventually finding his fingers coated with blood as they traced down Nezumi’s back. “Damnit…” he muttered, looking upon the rat’s pained expression.

            He had to get Nezumi inside, out of the storm and into his care. “Nezumi you have to wake up!” Shion shouted, urging him as he wrapped his arms underneath Nezumi’s and pulled at him in an attempt to get him off of the balcony floor. “You’re going to be fine, just let me get you inside!”

            In that instant, Nezumi’s eyes slowly fluttered open. His lids hung, exhausted and dazed as he peered up at the white haired boy’s face. “Shion…” he breathed gruffly.

            A loud crack of thunder erupted, muffling his voice and causing Shion to tense as the lightening followed.

            “You have to help me get you inside,” Shion pleaded. “I think you’re hurt and—”

            “Shut up…” the rat mumbled slowly, wincing as he braced himself against the ground with his arm and pushed upward to sit up straight. Shion pulled himself closer into Nezumi, bringing one arm around his back and the other around his waist. Nezumi was shivering, and had a difficult time getting to his feet. Shion guided him, wrapping the rat’s arm around his shoulders to steady him before crossing back into the warmth of Shion’s bedroom.

            Holding onto him quite tightly, Shion felt Nezumi’s head roll slowly onto his shoulder. Though he continued to hobble forward, Shion knew it was best to keep Nezumi conscious until he was sure he wasn’t severely injured. So he nudged him lightly and whispered his name, keeping Nezumi awake as they reached the threshold of the bathroom.

            Shion was able to guide him gently onto the bathroom floor and flick the light switch on, causing Nezumi’s half lidded eyes to abruptly squeeze shut. “Turn that off, damnit,” the raven haired boy spoke hoarsely.

            Shion ignored his request, and instead fell to his knees beside the boy. “I need to remove your shirt and examine your body,” he reasoned as he reached for the sopping wet fabric.

            Nezumi rested his head against the wall of the bathroom and closed his eyes. A slight smirk began to play at the corners of his mouth and a small chuckle sounded from his throat. “I only just arrived and you’re already tearing my clothes off,” he muttered.

            “Well yes I need to make sure—” Shion stopped himself, taking a moment to realize what the rat had meant. His cheeks flushed and he rolled his eyes. “Cut it out, Nezumi. Let me see your back.”

            Nezumi didn’t put up a fight as Shion peeled the bloodied cloth off of his chilled body. Nezumi’s entire back was wet and covered with blood. He hissed as his bare back was unearthed, revealing two large gashes stretching diagonally across each shoulder blade.

            “What did you do?” Shion whispered, reaching for the cabinet underneath his sink in search of his first aid kit.

            “It…burns…” was all Nezumi replied, his body tensing.

            Shion understood that there was no time to run for a doctor, or seek help from a hospital, especially so late at night. He couldn’t stand the thought of entrusting Nezumi in the hands of someone else, not now. Not after Shion had just gotten him back. No, Shion would fix him, and Nezumi would get better.

            The white haired boy surveyed Nezumi’s condition as he dug for his bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. His wounds appeared to be approximately a fourth of an inch deep and stretched across his shoulder blades diagonally at approximately four inches long. The two gashes came together at the center, adopting the shape of an “X”. Taking a cloth with applied peroxide, Shion began to expose Nezumi’s pale skin from underneath the layer of red that covered his back, cleaning it well in order to fully assess the damage. It didn’t appear as though he was bleeding heavily anymore, which meant this had most likely taken place hours ago—maybe 4 to 5 at the most. From what Shion could tell, he had lost enough blood to become weakened, falling in and out of consciousness. Shion heard Nezumi inhale through his teeth and tense as the boy cleaned around the wound. The adrenaline produced by Nezumi’s brain to help mask the pain of the wound must have worn off by now.

            Once Shion had cleaned and disinfected Nezumi’s wounds, he began digging for his stitching needle and thread. He found it toward the bottom of the kit, and got to work on threading it properly while trying to remember how he’d done it before…

            “Shion…” Nezumi breathed, eyes remaining shut and head against the wall. “Is it awful?”

            The boy blinked, his eyes falling onto Nezumi’s pained expression. “No, Nezumi…no,” He comforted. “It’s nothing I can’t fix. I fixed you last time, didn’t I?”

            Shion could faintly see Nezumi nod as he opened his eyes half way. “I trust you…” he mumbled, bringing a flush to Shion’s face before the rat fell silent again.

            He diligently worked on stitching Nezumi together for a good hour, though it felt like much longer. The both of them were silent, aside from a few gasps and vulgarities escaping Nezumi’s mouth as Shion pierced his skin. Once Shion had successfully stitched the boy, he found gauze amongst the effects in the first aid kit and began wrapping the wounds. Lifting Nezumi’s arm and beginning across his back, Shion sighed, realizing this was his second time like this with Nezumi.

            “Hey Nezumi,” he whispered, mostly to himself, as he started again across Nezumi’s body. “How come we can never seem to meet under normal circumstances?” Nezumi did not reply.

            Shion taped the edge of the wrapping down and observed his work. This was all he could offer for now. _I suppose if his condition only worsens I can call the hospital tomorrow…_ But Shion would watch over him tonight to ensure nothing would worsen.

            Shion left the bathroom briefly, shutting his bedroom window and going to retrieve his lukewarm chocolate drink from his bedside table. He wanted to help ease the boy’s pain, yet knew that it was not good to give a person with extreme blood loss pain killers, because many contain chemicals meant to thin one’s blood. However, he had once read that it is beneficial to consume glucose after losing a large amount of blood, to help restore the body’s glucose levels. Luckily, Shion had a sweet drink prepared by his bedside, as if it had been fated.

            “Nezumi,” he pressed, bringing one hand up to grasp the boy’s jaw. He placed his thumb upon Nezumi’s bottom lip, urging the rat’s mouth open. “I need you to drink this, please.” Shion brought the mug to Nezumi’s mouth and tilted it upward, watching as the dark liquid made its way from Nezumi’s lips and into his mouth. At first, Shion noticed the boy’s brows furrowing, perhaps displeased by the taste. But then his eyes relaxed, and Nezumi took a gulp of the drink, followed by another, and another before Shion pulled the mug away from his mouth. “Good,” he praised, using his thumb to wipe excess chocolate away from Nezumi’s pale lips.

            The walk from the bathroom to Shion’s bed was far shorter than the previous, and Shion found Nezumi a bit sturdier as he hobbled his way there. Nezumi took his place on the mattress, resting on his stomach so his bandaged back remained exposed. Shion tucked the rat’s head comfortably upon his pillow and pulled the covers over Nezumi’s body. His hand brushed lightly over Nezumi’s cheek, feeling for a fever and, to his dismay, finding his skin warmer than average. Just in case, Shion wetted a cloth and let it rest gently against Nezumi’s forehead, hoping by morning the temperature would return to normal.

            Shion felt exhausted as he gazed upon the figure in his bed. This night hadn’t seemed real enough for Shion to simply crawl back into bed and fall asleep—he didn’t want to wake up and realize it had all been a dream. But his eyes were growing weary, and his nerves had finally calmed as he watched the figure in his bed sleep soundly, his body rising slow and calm in slumber. Eventually Shion gave up and turned out the bathroom lights, and his bedside lamp. He made his way across to the other side of the bed and found his way inside, crawling underneath the covers. He could feel the heat from Nezumi’s sleeping body as he lay only centimeters away.

            There were so many questions circulating through Shion’s head: _Where had Nezumi been all this time? Who did that to his body? Why did he come back here of all places?_ But Shion had to stop himself. There was only one thing of importance that Shion needed to focus on. Nezumi was here, in his bed, sleeping soundly. That’s all that mattered. There would be time for these questions tomorrow.

            So as Shion slid closer, resting his hand on top of Nezumi’s and folding his fingers into his, he couldn’t help but feel warm tears prick at his eyes again. “I can’t believe you came back…” he whispered softly, resting his head near Nezumi’s and finally succumbing to slumber.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been super busy lately, but worry not.   
> I'll be posting Chapter 3 soon :)


	3. Collecting Scars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally gotten around to posting chapter 3, enjoy~!

            When Nezumi came to the first thing he noticed was the burning sensation adorning his shoulder blades. It felt more similar to an ache than anything else, but still made him cringe when he shifted his body.

            He opened his eyes groggily, reaching up to rub them roughly with the back of his hand.  The room around him was dark, and warm. Through the window resting at eyelevel, he could just see the beginning evidence of daybreak begin to show above the skyline. Nezumi opened his dry mouth and attempted to lick his lips—he must’ve slept with his mouth open again. Tightening his fist wrapped amongst the sheets, the rat became aware of the fact that they weren’t sheets at all.

            A body beneath him shifted, and exhaled warmth against his collarbone, causing Nezumi’s skin to prick. He pulled away slightly, eyeing the head of white hair resting in the crook of his shoulder and realized that his fingers were bunched inside the boy’s shirt. _Shion…?_ He breathed, feeling his heart jump inside of his throat as the events of the previous night came flooding back to him.

            _Damn it._ He closed his eyes and groaned out of frustration, resting the back of his head against the pillow beneath it and unraveling his fingers from the cloth they had weaved into.

He should have never. His mind was filled with “he should have never”s as he lay staring aimlessly at the ceiling. He should have never left, he should have never gone in search of _them_ , and he should have never stayed. Who was he kidding; he didn’t belong anywhere, no matter how hard he tried. He wasn’t meant to be a part of something like that, no matter how much he thought he wanted it. He was a rat, a loner, and just plain _different._ There was something about him that made him feel as though he was never meant to be a part of anything special. He was damaged and short tempered and not many people, not even his own people, could handle that—which was something he had found out the hard way _once again._ The slashes burning his shoulder blades were a result of just that. Blood meant nothing.

            He knew should have never left. In the back of his mind he always knew. Late night visits to gaze into _his_ window were never enough to satisfy him. _I’ll only go for a second, just to make sure he’s still as airheaded as ever,_ is what he’d always convince himself when he escaped from the village for a short time, just to catch a glimpse of that head of snowy hair. It was pitiful actually, how often he found himself wanting to just walk through the door of the boy’s home and plop himself on the sofa, waiting for him to return to find him there.  But Nezumi knew that would be too cruel—he knew he needed to finish what he’d started before returning to him, or else he could never hold his head high again.

            That still didn’t stop him from missing the brat. And even when Nezumi was half dead, beaten bloody, and sliced open by his own kind, Nezumi knew where to go. He stumbled his way back, a broken mess, and as soon as his eyes met Shion’s he was abruptly reminded that the blood does not define family.

            As he lay there, he felt Shion’s soft breath against his skin as the boy slept comfortably. Nezumi furrowed his brow, feeling a weight inside of his chest as he watched him. _Please don’t hate me,_ he thought to himself. He’d run scenarios through his mind time and time again of the day that they would reunite, and of those scenarios there was one constant fear that wracked Nezumi’s brain. _What if Shion had moved on?_ Shion was building an entirely new life for himself and everyone else in this new city—a life far different from No. 6, or the West Block. What if, while building this new life, Shion hadn’t left any room for Nezumi once he returned? This thought caused Nezumi to clench his jaw uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure what he would do if that were the case. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time it had happened, but it would be the first time he was genuinely afraid.

            Nezumi clicked his tongue and shifted his body, hesitantly bringing his arm around to fit against the upper part of Shion’s back, holding the boy against him lightly. This was a familiar position that he quite enjoyed when they laid together. He always had liked resting his nose against Shion’s white locks, breathing in the unique scent that accompanied them. He gave it a try, softly bringing his face to rest against Shion’s head and sniffed. He was pleased with the result. “At least you still smell like yourself, Highness,” he mumbled, letting a slight grin play at the corner of his lips.

            There was very little possibility Nezumi would be able to fall back asleep, no matter how comfortable made himself. He decided he wanted to explore his surroundings, and see all of the magnificent things Shion had created in his absence. Just before dawn was the perfect time to do just that, when hardly anyone would be wandering the streets, and he could see everything in its raw splendor.

            He was careful to not wake Shion, tucking him back into his warm blankets before leaving the bed. The bathroom was easy enough to find. Nezumi was able to shut the door quietly and flick on the lights, examining himself in the mirror. He realized that it was not a shirt that was ornamented so tightly around his body and aggravated the skin on his chest. It was but bandages—bandages that he deemed irritating and unnecessary. He would have tried harder to remove them, had it not burned so badly to reach his arms behind his head. He gave up once he found what he was looking for—a crumpled white shirt resting on the bathroom floor. Picking it up, he realized he should probably not even attempt to wear such a thing in public, since it was stained with his dried blood.

            He tsked and decided to look elsewhere, eventually discovering Shion’s closet after digging around in the dark for some time. Inside all he found were sweaters, the kind Shion liked to wear that were far too big for him. Nezumi rolled his eyes as he pulled a lighter colored one out of the closet, examining it as best as he could in the dark before carefully reaching to pull it over his head. The motion made Nezumi’s shoulders burn, but he was able to carefully get it over his bare chest. The sweater was a big snug on Nezumi, and didn’t fit nearly the way it Shion’s do, but it was a better option than the previous one.

            A light flickered on amidst the darkness and Nezumi’s eyes flew to the bed where Shion was supposed to be sound asleep. He, of course, was not. He sat with his hands gripping the sheets beneath him, eyes wide with worry. “Nezumi?” he called out, voice still groggy with sleep. Shion flung the sheets aside and set his unsteady feet onto the floor before urging toward the raven haired boy.

            “’Mornin’…,” was the reply that Nezumi hesitantly chose, quite unsure of what else to say.

            Shion stopped in front of the rat, reaching his hand out to grip the sweater Nezumi had just put on. His eyes widened as he looked at him and pleaded, “Don’t leave again, Nezumi…”

            Nezumi’s brows furrowed in slight confusion, eyeing the boy as if he were going insane. “Shion, I was jus-”

            Shion’s expression changed into a glare as Nezumi was speaking. “You could at least wake me up to say goodbye,” the white haired boy mumbled heatedly.

            Nezumi was silent for a moment. He let his expression relax, and softly brought his hand to meet Shion’s.

            “You just came back…and you were _hurt_ ,” Shion looked away from the taller boy. “And now you want to leave again? Without any explanation? I’m not some sort of rest stop, Nezumi,” He huffed.

            Nezumi inhaled, surprised at Shion’s words as he eyed him carefully, thinking of the right thing to say.  “Shion…” he began, using his hand to pull the boy’s chin up so their eyes could meet. “I wasn’t planning on leaving again…” Shion’s angry furrow softened and his eyes crinkled a bit at the corners. “Unless you want to drive me to leave with this nagging of yours so early in the morning…”

            Shion was silent, eyes flying to meet with Nezumi’s as he began to shake his head slightly. His grip loosened from Nezumi’s sweater. His arms found themselves winding around the taller boy’s waist, squeezing tightly as Shion buried his face into Nezumi’s chest.

            Nezumi nervously gasped, hesitating a few moments before bringing his arms around Shion and letting his hand lightly tangling itself in the boy’s fair hair.

            “I missed you so much…” Shion’s soft voice came muffled by the sweater between them.

            Nezumi nodded, exhaling shakily, “Me too.” He felt a bit of wetness against his chest, almost positive they were tears. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he pulled away, “Shion look at me.”

            Shion obeyed, looking up at Nezumi with reddened eyes and wet lashes “Why are you crying?” Nezumi asked, sounding irritated, though he already knew why.

            Shion sniveled a bit, wiping his eyes as he whispered, “I’m so glad you came back.”

            The rat felt that same ache in his chest again at the sound of Shion’s words. Without thinking, he pulled the boy closer to him so their bodies were touching again. Bringing his hands up to embrace both sides of Shion’s face, Nezumi softly placed his lips to overlap the quivering pair in front of him. He closed his eyes, feeling the tension leave Shion’s body as he kissed him back. Nezumi cocked his head and moved his lips once more, this time suckling the boy’s bottom lip for a moment. Shion whimpered, gripping tightly onto the back of Nezumi’s sweater before Nezumi pulled away to rest their foreheads together.

            Shion’s skin, now flushed red, felt hot against Nezumi’s. The raven haired boy finally replied “I’m glad too,” after rolling his eyes.  

            They were both silent for a moment, awkwardly clinging to each other.

            Shion frowned, turning his head to survey the rising sun outside of his window. “I have a meeting this morning about the city…” he trailed off quietly, suddenly reminded of his position as the city head.

            Nezumi eyed him, frustrated, “What, were you planning on leaving me here all day?”

            “I forgot about it. I’ve had more important things on my mind as of late,” he sighed, equally frustrated. “It completely slipped my brain.”

            “You're still such an airhead, thinking I was going to leave. Now you’re the one leaving,” Nezumi stated a bit sarcastic.

            Shion shook his head silently, looking away as he pulled at the fabric around Nezumi’s wrist and turned. “Come on; let me make you something to drink. I think I have a phone call to make.”

            Nezumi followed behind, shooing Shion’s fingers from his wrist as they walked together down the stairs and into the kitchen. “This is certainly a lot bigger than the place we had in West Block,” Nezumi observed. “Kind of like your old house…the one in Chronos.”

            Shion seated the rat upon a stool settled around the kitchen island, and turned toward a cupboard to reach for two mugs. “Yes, it’s not quite as big as the house in Chronos, but it does have two stories.” The fair haired boy had found the milk and coco powder, and a bit of sugar amongst his things, and began filling each mug with the ingredients.

            “Don’t put so much sugar in that,” Nezumi mumbled, pointing at one of the mugs. “You know I don’t like sweet shit.”

            Shion nodded with a smile, already knowing not too make Nezumi’s too sweet. Once he had finished each concoction, he placed them in the Microwave for 45 seconds and sighed turning back to Nezumi. “How does your back feel?” he asked.

            Nezumi shrugged, “It burns a little, I guess.”

            Rounding the counter top and settling behind the dark haired boy, Shion urged the back of his shirt upward. “Let me see your bandages,” he asked as he helped Nezumi slip the sweater the rest of the way off. “You lost a significant amount of blood,” Shion informed him while unwrapping part of the bandage. “And the gashes were fairly deep. Another hour or so in the rain and you might have woken up.”

            Nezumi chuckled, “Well aren’t I so fortunate. I was lucky enough to climb your tower in such a state, and be rescued by Your Highness.”

            Undressing the wounds for a moment, Shion observed the stitches he had done the night before.  The skin around the wound was not reddened or raised dramatically, so it was not infected. “This will heal nicely, and barely be noticeable.”

            Nezumi shook his head and rested a hand onto the counter. “I collect scars like anyone else would collect buttons or books. Just add ‘em to my collection.”

            Shion placed the bandages back on appropriately and sighed. Finding the flesh on the back of Nezumi’s neck, the boy began tracing patterns, causing goose bumps to gather on Nezumi’s skin. “Nezumi, what happened to you?” The microwave began beeping its signal that the drinks were now heated. Shion ignored it. “Where have you been?”

            Nezumi swallowed hard, resting his cheek upon his hand. What was he supposed to tell Shion? That he’d left him to go in search for his people—to find some sort of tie to this godforsaken planet? He felt stupid for even thinking such a thing now, for leaving Shion for something he wasn’t even sure existed. Clearing his throat, the rat allowed a hand to reach behind him and let his fingers brush against Shion’s. “Trust me, it’s not important anymore.” 


End file.
